Machine for assembling window and door frames



March 5, 1968 F. A. HOLLOMON ET AL 3,371,921

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22, 1965 [NVE/VTO R5 N 0mm Mzm MP W Z A H HT A .v KN M MK March 5, 1968 F. A. HOLLOMON ET AL 3,371,921]

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1965 W Y oMR m M 0 E R W m L A H mw .& m\ AM mm N N w mm AN rmfl w mm \m March 5, 1968 F. A. HOLLOMON ET AL 3,371,921

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES I 6'6 T 4 I i l 56 4 I I 44 I I 6 I i 1 W i ,1 w

\ L L J L \k\\ 44- 60 7 I 5 [5: E g/ INVENTORS I l EA/Vn A./7/0LLOMON 3 g KEN/VETHH/ /ZE/P March 5, 1968 F. A. HOLLOMON ET AL MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES Filed Oct. 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet a? on m 7 as 59 F 67 7 k 3 4'6 kin-Ex; 44a)? 7 2a U L INVENTORS KAWNE TH HP/Z'ER ATTORNEY March 5, 1968 F. A. HOLLOMON ET AL 3,371,921

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES Filed Oct. 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet n 32 -m' k 34- I S I I l 3/ T 5- \\\\l. 35 l 3O v .Z' .21 35 36' j I v J l l 3 I I I I I 99" 1 r 3 36 I 79 I I 86 29 9 5 I '86 25- INVENTORQ FRANK A.HOLL QMQN KENNETH HPIZER X ATTORNEY F. A. HOLLOMON ET AL March 5, 1968 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES Filed Oct. 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS FRA NK A-HOLL om 0N KENNETH HP/z ER ayan ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,371,921 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 3,371,921 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WINDOW AND DOGR FRAMES Frank A. I-Ioiiornon, Silver Spring, Md., and Kenneth H. Pizer, Morton, Pa, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Hydro-Air Engineering, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,266 8 Claims. (Cl. 269-25) This invention relates to a machine for assembling window and door frames for application to building wall panels being prefabricated or to sub-assemblies intended to be later applied to such wall panels.

More particularly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine having locater means for the cripples of a window or door frame being assembled, and locater means is adjustable for varying the positions of the cripples relative to the studs or the jambs of the window or door frame, respectively, so that when the window or door frame is assembled in the wall panel the cripples will conform to a sixteen inch or twentyfour inch module of the panel stud.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for assembling window and door frames having novel means of simple construction for adjusting the location of the cripples in the frame, so that when the frame is subsequently assembled in the prefabricated building wall panel and said panel is made a part of the building, the cripples will align with the floor joists so as not to obstruct the installation of ducts, electrical wiring, plumbing and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for adjustably locating the cripples of window or door frames to be applied to building wall panels to insure that the cripples will have the same module as the panel studs to enable wall board and finished wall sheathing to be accurately applied and readily secured to the studs and cripples.

till another object of the invention is to provide a window and door frame assembling machine wherein the frame support may be tilted to facilitate assembling parts of the frame thereon, nailing or securing of the frame parts together, and removal of the assembled frame from the machine.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view thereof looking from right to left of FIGURE 1; 7

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the machine;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 44 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 77 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 99 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 10-10 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 1111 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line I212 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 1313 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan View of an adjustable part of the machine shown detached;

FIGURE 15 is an end elevational view of said adjustable part of the machine;

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 16-46 of FIGURE 4, with certain of the parts omitted, and

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating a modification of the invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the window and door frame assemblying machine in its entirely is designated generally 18 and includes two pedestals 19 and 20 which are disposed in spaced apart aligned relation to one another for supporting a machine frame or table top 21 therebetween.

The machine frame or table top 21 includes side members 22 and 23 and end members 24 and 25 which are connected together to form a rectangular marginal p013 tion of the table top or frame 21.

Each of the pedestals 19 and 2% includes a substantially fiat base 26 which is adapted to rest on a suitable horizontal supporting surface, three inclined upwardly converging legs 27, 28 and 29, and an upright: leg 30 which combines with the upwardly inclined legs to support an elevated rest 31 which in turn supports a pillow block 32. The frame members 24 and 25 have aligned trunnions 33 extending outwardly therefrom which extend through the pillow blocks 32 (FIGURES 8 and 9) and which are connected thereto by nut and washer connections 34. Each trunnion carries a bushing 35 which is journaled in the pillow block thereof for mounting the machine frame or table top 21 for rocking or tilting movement on the pedestals 19 and 219.

The frame or table top 21 has a member 36 extending between and secured to the members 24 and 25 and which substantially aligns with the trunnions 33. A member 37 extends between and is secured to end members 24 and 25 and is disposed between, spaced from and substantially parallel to the members 23 and 36. A plurality of short frame members 38 extend between and are secured to the members 36 and 37. A support member 39 extends between and is secured to end members 24 and 25 and is disposed between the members 22 and 36. Support members 40 and 41 extend between and are secured to the members 22 and 39. A pair of channel-shaped members 42 extend between and are secured at their ends to the members 24 and 25 and are disposed between the members 36 and 39 and adjacent to said member 36. The members 42 open toward one another, are Spaced apart slightly, and are connected on their bottom sides by cross braces 43. Members 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 have upper surfaces which are all disposed on the same plane. The table top or frame 21 includes two members 44 which extend between and are secured to the members 24 and 25 and which are disposed between the members 23 and 37 and in spaced apart relation to one another. The upper surfaces of the members 44- are disposed below the level of the plane of the upper surfaces of the aforementioned members 3742, as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6.

The members 44 provide rails for slidably supporting an adjustable cripple locater unit, designated generally 45, and which includes a pair of rigid tubular members 46 which are connected together by rigid cross bars 47 the ends of which overlay and are secured to the upper surfaces of said members 4.6. The members 46 are spaced apart a distance to straddle the rails 44 on which the members 47 are slidably supported. The upper surfaces of the members 47 are disposed in the aforementioned plane of the members 37-42. The members 46 are shorter than the rails 44 to permit the unit to slide thereon between the end members 24 and 25. As best seen in FIGURE 3, the two cross members 47, located nearest the end member 24, are recessed, as seen at 48, to accommodate the ends of a plate 49 which is graduated in inches and fractions of inches, as seen at 50, and which is provided with a plurality of rows of numerals 51 designating the inch graduations. The first row of numerals includes the numerals from 0 to 16 arranged consecutively, the second row includes the numerals 16 to 32, with the numeral 16 disposed beneath the numeral 0. The plate 49 is preferably made sutficiently large so that as many as eighteen such rows of numerals may be provided. For clarity, only a few of the numerals have been shown.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, a plate 52 is fixed to and depends from the underside of the intermediate portion of the bar 47, which is located nearest the member 24. The plate 52 has flanges 53 at the ends thereof which are disposed at a right angle thereto and which flanges engage the inner sides of the rails 44. The plate 52 has a threaded opening 54 which aligns with an internally threaded bore of a boss 55 which is secured to one side of said plate 52, as seen in FIGURE 4. A lead screw 56 threadedly engages in the opening 54 and the boss 55. An unthreaded end of the lead screw extends through openings 57 and of the end member 24 and is journaled in a pillow block 58 which is secured to the outer side of the member 24. A crank 59 is secured to the end of the lead screw 56 which projects from the pillow block 58. A bar 60 extends between and is secured to the rails 44 and is spaced from the end member 24 a distance greater than the length of the plate 49. The bar 60 has an opening 61 through which the lead screw 56 extends and which is larger than the lead screw to provide clearance therebetween. A nut 62 threadedly engages the other end of the screw 56 and washer 63 is carried by the lead screw and fits snugly between the nut 62 and bar 60. It will thus be seen that when the lead screw 56 is turned by manipulation of the crank 59 that the unit 45 will be caused to travel on the rails 44 toward or away from the end members 24 and 25.

As seen in FIGURES 5 and 15, the plate 52 has an angularly turned flange 63 near its bottom edge which is provided with threaded openings 64. A plate 65 is secured by screw fastenings 66 to the underside of the flange 63 and extends beyond the flanges 52 to bear against the undersides of the rails 44 for retaining the unit 45 slidably connected to said rails.

Each tube 46 carries a plurality of pairs of locater elements 67, each of which is mounted for vertical sliding movement in a sleeve 68 which extends through and is mounted in said tube 46. Each element 67 is urged upwardly to a raised position by a compression spring 69, contained in the sleeve thereof, which bears against a bushing 70 which in turn bears against a split ring 71 which is carried by the element 67, so that the locater elements are capable of being individually depressed, as illustrated in FIGURE 7. A further description of the locater elements 67 and the parts associated therewith is considered unnecessary, since said parts are fully disclosed in the co-pending application of Frank A. Hollomon entitled Panel Frame Assembly Apparatus, Ser. No. 340,924, filed Jan. 29, 1964.

The pairs of locater elements 67 of the two tube members 46 are disposed in transverse alignment with one another as seen in FIGURE 1, and the elements 67 of each pair straddle an end of a cross bar 47. The distance between the centers of adjacent pairs of the locater elements 67 of each tube 46 has been illustrated as being sixteen inches; however, this spacing could be twentyfour inches for a twenty-four inch rather than a sixteen inch module, as herein illustrated.

The table top frame 21 has a plurality of transversely spaced squaring stops 72 which are fixedly secured thereto and are disposed adjacent the end member 25. Angular brackets 73 are fixedly secured to the side member 22 and each supports a pneumatic ram 74 having a plunger 75 which extends through an opening 76 in the upright part 77 of said bracket 73, as seen in FIGURE 13.

An adjustable clamp 78 is supported by the channel members 42, adjacent the end member 24. The adjustable clamp 78 includes an angle bracket 79 on which a pneumatic ram 80 is secured. The plunger 81 of the ram 80 extends into or through a hole 82 of the bracket 79, in the same manner that the plunger 75 engages the hole 76. The bracket 79 is slidably mounted on the channels 42. A screw 83 is swivelly mounted on a horizontal portion of the bracket 79, and has collars 84 and 85 fixed thereto and which bear against the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of said horizontal bracket portion. The lower end of the screw 83 engages threadedly through a bar 86 which is disposed in an extends across the interiors of the channels 42, as best seen in FIGURE 10. The lower collar 85 engages between the top flanges of the channels 42 to prevent any lateral displacement of the clamp 78 relative to said channels. A pin 83' extends downwardly from the bracket 79 and engages slidably in an opening 86' of the bar 86 to prevent turning of the bracket on the channels 42. The screw 83 may be turned in one direction to move outwardly of the bar 86 to release the clamp 78 for sliding movement on the channels 42, and said screw may then be turned in the opposite direction for advancement through the bar 86 for clamping the upper flanges of the channels 42 between said bar and the bracket 79 for immovably securing the clamp 78 in a desired adjusted position on said channels.

As seen in FIGURE 17, a pair of channels 42', corresponding to the channels 42, may be substituted for each support 41. Each pair of channels 42' will support an adjustable clamp 7 8', corresponding to the clamp 78. The use of clamps 78 with clamp 78 will provide adjustable clamping on two planes. This is necessary where narrow headers are employed.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 3 and 5, abutments 87 are fixedly secured to the outer face of the side members 23 and extend upwardly therefrom to form bottom plate supports. Said abutments have notches 88 to accommodate portions of a slender rigid bar 89 which rests upon the side member 23 and forms a cripple stop.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the pedestal 19 has a bracket 90 secured to its leg 29 to which the lower end of a pneumatic ram 91 is pivotally connected. The other end of the ram 91 is pivotally connected to a bracket 92 which is fixed to and depends from the member 24. A conventional air valve 93 is secured to the leg 27 of the pedestal 19. Conduits 94 and 95 extend from the valve 93 and open into the ends of the cylinder of the ram 91, and a supply conduit 96 leads from a conventional source of air under pressure, designated 97, and which is also preferably mounted on the leg 29 of the pedestal 19. The other end of the conduit 96 opens into the valve 93, and another air supply conduit 98 leads from the air supply 97 to a second valve 99 which is mounted on the outer side of the member 24. A conduit 100 leads from the valve 99 and has branches connected with the rams 74 and the ram 80. The machine 80 will be described in connection with the prefabrication of a window frame for application to a wall panel being prefabricated. A stud 101 is positioned against the squaring stops 72, as seen in FIGURE 1, and a header 102 is positioned on the header supports 39, 40 and 41 with one end thereof abutting against the inner side of an end portion of the stud 101. A stud 103 is then applied crosswise of the frame 21 with one end portion thereof abutting the other end of the header 102. The other ends of the studs 101 and 103 abut against the cripple stop 89. If a tie plate is used, the tie plate 104 is positioned against the cripple stop 89 and abutments 87 and extends between the last mentioned ends of the studs 101 and 103. Jack studs 105 are then positioned against the inner sides of the studs 101 and 103 with their ends abutting the header 102 and the tie plate 104. A sill 106 is positioned on the member 36 with its ends abutting the jack studs 105. Depending upon the size of the window opening, the sill 106 could be supported by one or both of the channels 42 or the members 38 instead of the member 36. Cripples 107 are then positioned between the sill 106 and the tie plate 104. The cripples 107 are straddled by the locater elements 67 and rest upon the bars 47.

The architects drawings furnish the dimensions for the window frame and the distance from the vertical center of the window frame to the left hand corner of a building and which corresponds with the left hand end of a prefabricated wall section in which the window frame is to be installed. Assuming that this results in the stud 101 being located fifty-one inches from the left hand end of said wall section, not shown. In order to have the cripples 107 on the sixteen inch module of the studs, not shown, of said wall panel, before application of the cripples 107, as heretofore described, the crank 59 is turned to revolve the lead screw 56 in a direction for moving the cripple locater unit 45 from right to left of FIGURES 1 and 3, so that the graduation 50 indicated by the numeral 51 will align with the stationary arrow mark 108 (FIGURE 3) of the rail 44, so that the cripples 107 will be displaced three inches to the left of their normal positions in the window frame, sixteen inches apart and with the left hand cripple 107 (FIGURE 1) sixteen inches from the stud 101. Thus, by this displacement of the cripples 107 three inches to the left, the cripples will maintain the sixteen inch module of the studs of the wall section when the window frame is assembled therein and will be located directly over the floor joists, not shown, in the building of which the Wall section forms a part, so that the cripples 107 will not interfere with the installation of duct work, electric wiring and plumbing. In addition, with cripples 107 located on the sixteen inch module of the wall studs, no problem will be encountered in nailing finished wall sheathing and wall board to said cripples. Looater elements 67 are individually depressible against the pressure of the springs 69, so that when a part of the window frame is located over one of the elements 67 the element can assume a retracted position beneath the frame part as illustrated in FIG- URES 4 and '7. The locater elements can also assume depressed positions to permit two cripples 107 to be arranged in side-by-side relation to one another.

After assembly of the window frame 101-107, as heretofore described, screws 83 are loosened so that the clamp 78 can be moved from right to left in FIGURE 1 against the stud 103. The lever 109 of the valve 99 is then manipulated for supplying compressed air to the rams 74 and for clamping the window frame parts between the plungers of said rams and the fixed stops 72, 87 and 89.

The lever of the valve 93 can then be manipulated for supplying compressed air to the lower end of the cylinder of the ram 91 through the conduit 94 and for bleeding the upper end of said cylinder through the conduit 95, for extending the ram 91 to rock the table top 21 counterclockwise, as seen in FIGURE 2, from its horizontal position to a tilted position. In this tilted position of the table top, not shown, the parts 1014107 of the window frame may be readily secured together by nailing, after which the lever 109 can be manipulated to release the air pressure from the rams 74 and 80 so that the assembled window frame can be readily removed from the tilted table top 24. The lever 110 can be manipulated for supplying compressed air to the upper end of the ram cylinder and for bleeding the lower end of said cylinder to return the table top 21 to its substantially horizontal position.

It will be readily apparent that the pairs of locater elements 67 could be spaced twenty-four inches apart between their centers rather than sixteen inches, as shown, for assemblying window and door frames for application to wall sections constructed on a twenty-four inch module, and also it will be apparent that a door frame can be assembled with the machine 18 in the same manner as heretofore described in reference to the window frame. The machine 18 may be constructed in various sizes for assemblying four foot, eight foot or twelve foot door and window frames.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A frame assemblying machine comprising a table top of open work construction adapted to support elements constituting the parts of a window or door frame including cripples, adjustable cripple locator means mounted in and forming a part of said table top for supporting the cripples and including a plurality of aligned pairs of upright locator elements between which the cripples are disposed, and means for reciprocally moving said cripple locator means relative to the table top for varying the positions of said locator elements and the cripples engaged thereby relative to the table top.

2. A machine as in claim 1, said table top including a pair of substantially parallel rails, said cripple locator means including spaced apart substantially parallel members straddling said rails, bars extending between and secured to upper surfaces of said members and slidably engaging on said rails, said bars being disposed in alignment with the pairs of locator elements and constituting cripple supports.

3. A machine as in claim 1, a linear scale carried by said cripple locator means for visually indicating different adjustments of said locator means relative to the table top.

4. A machine as in claim 1, fixed stops extending upwardly from the table top and adapted to engage two sides of the frame disposed at a right angle to one another, and fluid pressure actuated clamps supported by the table top and adapted to apply pressure to the remaining two sides of the frame for clamping the frame on the table top.

5. A machine as in claim 4, and means adjustably mounting the clamps of at least one of said sides on the table top.

6. A machine as in claim 1, means mounting said 10- cator elements for individual vertical sliding movement, and a spring urging each locator element to a raised position.

7. A machine as in claim 1, said cripple locator means including a slide, and means forming a part of said table top on which the slide is reciprocally mounted.

8. A machine as in claim 1, aligned trunnions projecting from two sides of the table top, pedestals disposed beyond said sides and having aligned bearings in which said tmnnions are journaled, and fluid pressure actuated means connecting the table top to one of the pedestals, said fluid pressure actuated means being extensible to combine with the pedestals and trunnions for supporting the table top in either a horizontal or a tilted position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,305,124- 12/1942 Wilson 144288 2,792,810 5/1957 Maconeghy 269-58 X 3,100,301 8/1963 Black.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FRAME ASSEMBLYING MACHINE COMPRISING A TABLE TOP OF OPEN WORK CONSTRUCTION ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ELEMENTS CONSTITUTING THE PARTS OF A WINDOW OR DOOR FRAME INCLUDING CRIPPLES, ADUSTABLE CRIPPLE LOCATOR MEANS MOUNTED IN AND FORMING A PART OF SAID TABLE TOP FOR SUPPORTING THE CRIPPLES AND INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF ALIGNED PAIRS OF UPRIGHT LOCATOR ELEMENTS BETWEEN WHICH THE CRIPPLES ARE DISPOSED, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCALLY MOVING SAID 